The Fox & Hounds

This friendly, wood-lined Victorian pub has all the good things that come with gastronomic ambition, although its drab location on the Clapham-Battersea cut-through holds it back a little. Inside, all the gastropub fittings – scrubbed tables, mismatched chairs – are in place. Drinkers have the benefit of a terrific wine list, with 13 by the glass, as well as three ales on draught. The food menu eschews the ubiquitous burger in favour of easy-on-the-palate Mediterranean flavours. Start with Parma ham & artichoke salad with slow-roast tomatoes; follow with Italian lamb shank with rosemary & olives, accompanied by parsnip mash. At lunchtime, this is a quiet corner of London, but by the evening, the pub is full to the gunnels with locals. Booking (especially Wednesday to Saturday) is strongly recommended.